(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

“I think when you have difficult situations, most police officers would rather it be calm, cool and collective. It makes it easier on us.”

The elements of “calm, cool, and collective” will be the central vibe tonight in Townsend Park in New Brighton–as well as across Beaver County and the United States–as National Night Out takes place to put the spotlight on police officers and their presence in their communities. New Brighton Borough police chief Ron Walton joined Matt Drzik on the August 2 edition of A.M. Beaver County to talk about the event in Townsend Park, which will take place from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM.

The outreach aspect of National Night Out comes at a turbulent juncture for police forces all across the nation, and Western Pennsylvania is no exception. “Retention is very difficult now, and recruitment is horrendous,” Walton said, adding that only the Beaver County Police Academy only graduated nine members in its most recent class. Walton hopes that events like these reinforce the positive impact that officers have in local communities and interactions with the public.

To watch the full interview with Officer Walton, click on the Facebook feed below!